Condenser for refrigerating systems



Feb. 2, 1937. J. H.\H. voss 2,069,430

CONDENSER FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 24, 1935 HIM WW I 27 L5 26 27 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES CONDENSER FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Johann Heinrich Hermann Voss, White Plains,

Application September 24, 1935, Serial No. 41,845

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in condensers, particularly condensers for refrigerating systems as for instance disclosed in my Patent No. 1,993,390 of March 5, 1935, and it is the principal object of my invention to provide a simple, cheap, yet highly effective non-condensible gas separator built into the structure of the double pipe condenser and forming an essential part of it. Foul gas separation effected in this manner is very useful for economical operation. of refrigerating machines but especially in those smaller size machines which, due to high cost, are not now equipped with a special device known in the art as a foul gas separator or purging drum.

Another object of my invention is to provide for cooling water distribution in proportionate amounts and in thin films over the water side of a double pipe vertical condenser unit in which the water flow is controllable in wide limits, say, between gallon to 5 gallons per minute. per ton of refrigerating capacity by means of an adjustable ferrule placed at the top of the inner pipe within a water trough mounted on topof the upper header, and in which the water distribution is easily accessible for cleaning or inspection and instantly replaced into correct working position.

These .and other objects and advantages of my invention, such as the use of the water distribution system for distributing beer or oil when the action of the double pipe condenser structure is reversed and it is used as a cooling unit, will become more fully known as the description thereof proceeds, and will then be specifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of part of a condenser equipped with a foul gas separator, and constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end view thereof as seen in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Figure 1.

As illustrated, the condenser embodies two horizontal headers, the upper header III and the lower header H, which are in communication through the intermediary of a plurality of vertical stand pipes or tubes I2, which are connected by welding to the lower surface of the upper header and to the top of the lower header, as indicated at I3 and I 4 respectively. The ends of the tubes I2 reach almost to the opposite sides of the headers and leave appropriate space to allow free passage to the entering hot gas or the leaving of condensed liquid refrigerating agent;

Within the tubes I2 are provided the inner tubes I5 so as to just allow a narrow ring-space I6 between tubes I2 and I5.

The tubes I5 extend clear through both headers and serve as additional cooling means for the gases passing through ring-space I6. The hot gas enters into the upper header at IT and is cooled there by a water distributing arrangement designated generally as at I8 which will be described later on.

v In this improved condenser the separation and. purging of the non-condensible or so-called foul gases is provided for by forcing the foul gases upward into one of the ring-spaces I6 between the double pipes I2 and I5. To effect this upward movement, the lower end of one of the pipes I2 is welded flush with the top of the lower header II, as indicated at I9, preferably located at the opposite end from the liquid outlet 20. The upper end of this ring-space I6 is closed by welding it around the inner pipe I5 just below the bottom of the upper header III, as indicated at I5 in Figure 1. By allowing the mixture of ammonia and foul gases, collected and trapped above the liquid level in the lower header I I, to rise into I6, it is quickly cooled to the temperature of the coldest cooling water. The cooling water runs in a thin film in a downward direction over the inside surface of the inner pipe I5 and over the outside surface of the outer pipe I2 coming from, the water distributing arrangement I8, so that during the counter current movement of the cooling water, the ammonia vapor is eifectively condensed out of the mixture while only foul gases remain at the top of the ring-space I6 where they are conveniently drawn off through a simple purge valve 2|.

Free access to the ring-spaces I6 for those foul gases present in a liquid receiver or in the upper header I0 is established through piping connecting the liquid receiver to outlets 22 and 23 respectively as shown in my Patent No. 1,993,390.

Lubricating oil is trapped and deposited in the lower part of the upper header II), as indicated at 24, from where it can be withdrawn through the oil drain 25. The lower header I I is provided with a drain 26 and is supported by brackets 21.

The cooling water distributing arrangement I8 on top of the header III is built as follows:

The side walls 28 and end walls. 28 of the water trough are tightly fastened by means of flat rails 29, welded around the header I0, and assembled with bolts 30 and suitable packing. The side walls 28 have two rows of flow holes 3I on each side of the trough and have hinged to the top water retaining aprons 32 with serrations 33 at their lower ends, the aprons being so dimensioned that they touch the upper header l 0 somewhat above its center.

A ferrule 34 with a notched top is snugly fitted into the top of the inner pipe l5 and is adjustable in height for regulating the flow of the cooling water which is received from the main water header 35 through branches 38.

The aprons 32 extend alongside the water trough for a width covering the vertical stand pipes l2 and the flow of the cooling water toward the ends of the headers l0 and H is arrested by means of retaining strips 31.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from the above description by simultaneous reference to the drawing, and it will be clear that any foul gases present inthe condenser structure or the liquid receiver are quickly forced into the closed ring-space between the extreme vertical inner and the shorter outer stand pipe and that only foul' gases are left to be drawn off at the closed top of the ring-space due to the separating action of the descending cold cooling water condensing the ammonia vapor out of the rising gas mixture and dropping it as liquid into the lower header.

It will also be clearly understood that the amount of cooling water running downwardly by gravity from the Water trough is regulated by the position ofthe notched ferrule at the top of the inner vertical pipe, when only small amounts of cooling water are at hand, the ferrule is placed in a low position allowing water to run only through the lower flow holes in the side walls of the trough to cover the outside surfaces of the outer vertical pipes while at the same time enough water is flowing through the notches on the top of the ferrule to Wet the entire inner sur face of the inner pipe. With larger amounts of cooling water at hand, the ferrule is raised higher up allowing water to run also through the upper row of flowholes delivering larger quantities to theouter surfaces of pipes l2. The water running through the flow holes is deflected downward by the aprons and is evenly distributed along the upper header and over the outer vertical pipes by the serrations at the lower end of the aprons which contact the header somewhat above its center. During operation it is easy to inspect the water flow from the inside and the outside of the trough, as it is a. simple matter to swing the apron upward on its hinges and to bring it back into correct working position without any adjustment being required.

In case of operation where the action of the structure is reversed and it is used as a cooling unit for beer, milk, oils and other fluids the simplicity of the fluid distributing device is especially valued by those skilled. in the arts not only for its ease of operation but also for its accessibility of all parts which are quickly taken apart for cleaning and sterilization and as quickly reassembled.

It will be understood that I have described and shown the preferred form of my invention only, as an example of the many'possible ways to practically construct the same, and that I may make such changes in its general arrangement and in the construction of its minor details as come within the scope of the appended claims, without departure from the spirit of my invention, and the principles involved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising an upper and a lower header, a plurality of vertically arranged double pipes connecting both headers, an extreme outer pipe from the top of the lower header closed around its concentric inner pipe below the upper header, providing a ringspace between them for the mixture of foul gases and refrigerating agent from the lower header, a means distributing a cooling medium from the top acting to eliminate the refrigerating agent by condensation from the mixture, andmeans to discharge the foul gases.

2. Inv a condenser for refrigerating systems, a double pipe trap incorporated with the structure, means for leading the mixture of foul gases and refrigerating agent to said double pipe trap, means for cooling the mixture with the coolant used in the system to separate the refrigerating agent by condensation from the mixture, and means to discharge the foul gases.

3. In a condenser for refrigerating systems comprising a plurality of single pipes, headers supporting said pipes, an extreme outer single pipe from the top of the lower header to the bottom of the upper header closed below said upper header, and providing a space for the mixture of foul gases and refrigerating agent from the lower header, a means for distributing a cooling medium from the top acting to eliminate the refrigerating agent by condensation from the mixture, and means to discharge the foul gases.

4. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising side rails connected to the upper header, a water trough secured to said rails, double rows of flow holes formed in the walls of said trough, serrated and hinged aprons for downward deflection of the cooling water and notched ferrules adjustable for regulation of the water flow within wide limits.

5. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising side rails connected to the upper header, an oblong trough for water secured to said rails, each side wall of the water trough having multiple rows of flow holes, notched ferrules fitted adjustably into inner pipes, and serrated and hinged aprons deflecting the flow of the cooling water downward along the upper header and over the outer pipes in thin films.

6. In a water distributing device for condensers in refrigerating systems, including an upper header, an oblong water trough mount-ed on top of said upper header, said water trough having a lower and an upper row of flow holes in each 1 side wall, a notched ferrule adjustably fitted into inner pipes within the trough to guide a thin film of water into inner pipes, hinged and serrated aprons to guide a thin film of cooling water running through said flow holes over outer pipes.

7. In a water distributing device for condensers in refrigerating systems, an oblong water trough mounted on top of the upper header, a lower and an upper row of flow holes in each side wall of said water trough, hinged and serrated aprons opposing said flow holes to guide a thin film of cooling water over the outside surfaces of single vertical pipes.

8. In a cooler for refrigerating systems a fluid distributing trough comprising demountable side walls with rows of lower and upper flow holes in said side walls, serrated aprons hinged at their tops to the tops of the said side walls and opposing the said flow holes in said side walls, and notched ferrules fitted into the inner pipes to regulate the flow of the fluid through the inside pipes and over the outside pipes.

9. In a cooler for refrigerating systems a fluid distributing trough comprising demountable side walls with rows of lower and upper flow holes in said side walls, serrated aprons hinged at their tops to the tops of the said side walls and. opposing the said flow holes in said side walls to regulate the flow of the fluid over the outside surfaces of single vertical pipes.

JOHANN H. H. VOSS. 

